Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (7/111)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

[Exalted is He] (1).’ He did so, and Allah—Exalted is He—(2) revealed to Gabriel (3) and Michael: ‘I have made you brothers, and I have made the lifespan of one of you (4) longer than that of the other. Which of you will prefer that his companion live?’ Both chose life. Allah (5) then revealed to them: ‘Why were you not like Ali ibn Abī Tālib? I made him and Muhammad—peace and blessings be upon him—brothers, yet he spent the night in his bed, sacrificing himself for him and preferring that he should live. Descend to earth and protect him from his enemy.’ They descended, and Gabriel (6) stood at his head and Michael at his feet.

Gabriel said, ‘How excellent! How excellent! (7) Who is like you, O son of Abī Tālib, when Allah boasts (8) of you before the angels?’ Allah—Mighty and Majestic—then revealed to His Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—while he was on his way to Medina, concerning Ali (9):

‘Among the people is one who sells himself, seeking Allah’s pleasure’ [Surah al-Baqarah: 207].

Ibn Abbas said: ‘It was revealed only concerning Ali (10), when the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—fled from the polytheists to the cave; and this

(1) “Exalted is He” is omitted from (N) and (M); (K) reads: “Mighty and Majestic.” (2) (K) reads: “Then Allah—Mighty and Majestic—commanded”; (N) and (M) read: “Then Allah revealed.” (3) (K) reads: “Gabriel.” (4) (N) and (M) read: “one of them.” (5) (K) reads: “Allah—Mighty and Majestic.” (6) (K) reads: “Gabriel—peace be upon him.” (7) (K) reads: “How excellent! How excellent! O Ali.” (8) (S) and (B) read: “boasted.” (9) (K) reads: “Ali ibn Abī Tālib—peace be upon them both.” (10) In (K), p. 154 (M): “concerning Ali ibn Abī Tālib—peace be upon him.”

[تَعَالَى] (١) ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ، فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى (٢) إِلَى جِبْرِيلَ (٣) وَمِيكَائِيلَ أَنِّي قَدْ آخَيْتُ بَيْنَكُمَا، وَجَعَلْتُ عُمُرَ أَحَدِكُمَا (٤) أَطْوَلَ مِنَ عُمُرِ الْآخَرِ، فَأَيُّكُمَا يُؤْثِرُ صَاحِبَهُ بِالْحَيَاةِ؟ فَاخْتَارَ كِلَاهَمَا الْحَيَاةَ، فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ. (٥) إِلَيْهَا: أَلَا كُنْتُمَا مِثْلَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، آخَيْتُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ - عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ - فَبَاتَ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ يَفْدِيهِ بِنَفْسِهِ وَيُؤْثِرُهُ بِالْحَيَاةِ؟ اهْبِطَا إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَاحْفَظَاهُ مِنْ عَدُّوِهِ. فَنَزَلَا، فَكَانَ جِبْرِيلُ (٦) عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ، وَمِيكَائِيلُ عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ جِبْرِيلُ: بَخٍ بَخٍ (٧) مَنْ مِثْلُكَ يَا ابْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ يُبَاهِي (٨) اللَّهُ بِكَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ؟ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - عَلَى رَسُولِهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَهُوَ مُتَوَجِّهٌ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فِي شَأَنِ عَلِيٍّ (٩) : {وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاةِ اللَّهِ} » [سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ: ٢٠٧] . وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: إِنَّمَا نَزَلَتْ فِي عَلِيٍّ (١٠) لَمَّا هَرَبَ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ إِلَى الْغَارِ، وَهَذِهِ

(١) تَعَالَى: لَيْسَتْ فِي (ن) ، (م) ، وَفِي (ك) : عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. (٢) ك: فَأَوْصَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، ن، م: فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ. (٣) ك: جِبْرَئِيلَ. (٤) ن، م: أَحَدُهُمَا. (٥) ك: اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. (٦) ك: جِبْرَئِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ. (٧) ك: بَخٍ بَخٍ لَكَ يَا عَلِيُّ. (٨) س، ب: بَاهَى. (٩) ك: عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ. (١٠)) ك ص ١٥٤ م: فِي عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ.